This is perhaps one of the most stressful times a year for a college student, whether it is their first year or their last. College in and of itself is a stressful experience to begin with. You are adjusting to a new environment, new people, and a new work and study schedule. So much change in such a short amount of time can be both exciting and overwhelming. Then, just when you think you have gotten into the swing of things, your first week of college finals arrives. Although college finals may seem similar to those you had in high school, there is one major difference: the significance. Exams in high school normally accounted for around twenty percent of our grade. In college, it is a similar rule. However, the significance of the grade can be raised to count as much as forty percent of your grade in some serious cases.

Knowing that a paper, a project, or a written exam could be the deciding factor for your success or failure in a class can intensify the overwhelming grip that college has on you. It is at this time that many college students will experience some form of depression or anxiety from putting so much effort into their college career, whether it be at the beginning or the end of your journey. What is important to understand when it comes to finals week for everyone is that, as long as you study and perform to the best of your ability, regardless of the grade you receive in your course, then you have already succeeded. This piece of advice is one that is usually hard to comprehend because we live in a society that bases academic success on a person’s test scores and GPA. Unfortunately, this means that someone who is incredibly intelligent, but perhaps a poor test taker, can be overlooked as a valuable member to society simply because their numerical scores do not meet the set standards for ingenuity.

So, although finals week for college students is an especially stressful period of time, it should be remembered that it is not the end of the world. It may seem like the end every single time exams come around the corner, but I promise you that it is not. Do not stress over whether or not you will make straight A’s, or if you unfortunately get out of a very challenging course with a C or a D. It will be upsetting and make you question whether or not you are as intelligent as you thought you were before the exam. Do not worry. Society will not reject your capabilities simply because you received a grade below a B in one course while you were in college. Everything will turn out fine in the long run. It may not seem possible at the moment, but just enjoy your life and try not to stress yourself out worrying over getting straight A’s or pleasing society with its expectations of academic success. Do your best during finals week. And whether you still have more to come in the future or you are finishing up the last of your college career, remember that success is defined by the effort you put into the preparation and performance of your work.